Sunday, December 22, 2013

The 'bathtub gin' empire - HomeMadeGin Review

Joe Maiellano and Jack Hubbard have lofty ambitions: They want to create a gin-soaked DIY empire (if you drink beer, you'll love MrBeer Story). In just the past year, they've taken a giant step toward it with their HomeMade Gin kit, which lets you craft your own spirits in the comfort of your home.

Maiellano and Hubbard, both 29, launched their business last November, assembling 250 packages in Maiellano's tiny kitchen in Arlington, Va. Their $50 kit includes a unique blend of spices and flowers, a tin of dried juniper berries, two Italian glass bottles, a strainer and a funnel.

"The first three orders came from an uncle and our dads," said Hubbard. "So we thought, 'Maybe this isn't a good idea.'" But when lifestyle blogs like UrbanDaddy and Thrillist started featuring the kit, holiday orders came pouring in.

"In a matter of weeks, we went from three sales to hundreds," he said. By the time the holiday season wrapped up, the startup had sold thousands of kits and outgrown its makeshift setup. They quickly rented out a warehouse facility and contracted with a fulfillment firm to speed up delivery.

HomeMade Gin Kit has already sold more than 14,000 kits and logged over half a million in sales. The kits are sold through sites like Red Envelope and Uncommon Goods, stores like Anthropologie and Total Wine, as well as their own website.

Making your own batch of gin is legal, but first you need a bottle of vodka, said Maiellano. All gins use a neutral spirit like vodka as a base. Pour the kit's juniper berries into the bottle of vodka, shake it and leave it for 24 hours.

"Juniper berries are the backbone of all gin," said Maiellano. Next, add the proprietary blend of spices and botanicals to the bottle and let it rest for another 12 hours. The vodka strips the essential oils and the liquid retains the flavors of the berries and spices.

Then, strain the liquid into the kit's bottles and pour yourself a drink. Because it's a home-made concoction, Maiellano warns that it will have a slight color, but it won't affect the taste.